LBC Principal attends the L’École Rabbinique ordination

On Sunday 7th September, Leo Baeck College’s Principal, Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris attended the L’École Rabbinique de Paris ordination. 

Mazal tov to the first graduates of the L’Ecole Rabbinique de Paris, ordained on Sunday 7th September at the Maayan Centre, home of Communauté Juive Libérale (CJL), under the leadership of Rabbi Pauline Bebe and her colleagues. 

Rabbi Pauline Bebe is the first-ever French woman rabbi. She was ordained by Leo Baeck College in 1990. Reflecting on this momentous milestone, she said:

“Leo Baeck College was a haven of peace that allowed me to recharge spiritually for my fight for recognition in France. It was amazing that among our teachers and fellow students, being a woman was not an issue. I remember Rabbi Magonet fighting for women’s equality in France; when it was so natural in England. My time at the college gave me the force to become the first woman rabbi in France.

Finally, if we have today our French rabbinical seminary, it is in no small part thanks to French colleagues who were ordained at LBC. Without the moral support and richer experience of LBC, I could not have created the École rabbinique de Paris. As it’s Rosh Yeshiva, I aim to continue promoting this special relationship between our seminaries, as we together train spiritual leaders who will make Judaism thought and life flourish in Europe.”

Now, some 35 years later, L’École Rabbinique de Paris ordained Ruth Lévy, Jérôme Szenberg, Stéphanie van Tittelboom, and Cantor Alexandre Cerveux. They became the first Progressive Rabbis and Cantor ordained by local rabbis. 

We were honoured that Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris could attend the ordination. Reflecting on this occasion, she said:

“I was honoured to be able to represent Leo Baeck College at the inaugural ordination of the L’Ecole Rabbinique de Paris. The Ecole is the product of the hard work of LBC alumnae, Rabbi Pauline Bebe, and Rabbi Tom Cohen, alongside many others in the francophone Progressive Jewish world.

I was particularly delighted to join with so many other LBC alumni at the ordination – Rabbis Nathan Alfred and Josue Ferreria (Geneva), Rabbi Marc Neiger (Brussels), Rabbi Daniella Touati (Lyon), and Rabbi Etienne Kerber (Paris) – who have all supported the development of this new programme. Last year LBC held a shabbaton in Paris so that our students could meet the students at the Ecole. I know that all of the LBC community will join me in celebrating this ordination. We look forward to continued close collaboration with our sister seminary in Paris and wish them every success for the future.”